Timing device



R. W. BOLING Oct. 9, 1951 TIMING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 15, 1950 ATTORNEYS R. W. BOLIN G Oct. 9, 1951 TIMING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 15, 1950 ATTORNEYS Oct. 9, 1951 R. w. BOLING 2,570,754

TIMING DEVICE Filed June 15, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 9, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TIMING DEVICE Enka, N. 0.

Application June 15, 1950, Serial No. 168,350

Claims. 1

This invention relates to timing devices and more particularly to a device for timing an industrial process or operation wherein a number of steps are involved and wherein each step is performed many times a day. The purpose of this invention is to afford an average time for each step of an operation; this average time is then corrected according to the timer estimate of the speed at which each step was performed. The sum of the corrected times for the various steps is set up as a standard time for performing the operation. The comparison between the standard time and the actual time used by various operators from day to day for performing the operation furnishes a measure of the effciency of the various operators.

Timing techniques have heretofore been employed with these purposes in mind, such techmques being of two dominant types. One is known as the snap-back technique and the other the continuous reading technique. These techniques have not proven entirely satisfactory. A main object of this invention is to overcome the disadvantages of prior techniques and therefore a brief discussion of each is now given.

In the snap-back technique the particular operation being performed is broken down into a number of separate steps each of which steps is listed on a time study sheet. The individual timing the various steps is supplied with a stop watch and at the beginning of a step, the timer starts his watch and observes the operator until the particular step is completed. Thereupon he observes the time indicated by the watch (the watch is read on the fly) and immediately resets the watch to zero and allows it to restart. The watch reading is then recorded and the timer returns his attention to the operator to observe the remaining portion of the next step. The same procedure is employed throughout all of the steps of the entire operation. In practice the system does not work at all satisfactarily primarily because of the high speed of the operators and continuity of the individual steps which the timer must follow carefully; as a particular step is finished, another is immediately being started, and so forth throughout the series. Thus the person who is timing the operation must read the time before he can operate his watch to return it to zero in order to begin timing the succeeding step. During the time that the succeeding step is being performed which time may be only a second or two, he must record the time of the preceding step and return his attention to the step then being performed.

A major disadvantage of this method is the inability of the timer to observe the operator a sufficiently large proportion of the time to enable him to properly estimate the operators speed and to ascertain that all the steps timed are properly performed. In cases when the times for individual steps range from .05 to .20 of a minute, which is the normal condition, the timer is not able to observe the operator for 20% to 50% of the time. Furthermore, the method inherently involves to a large extent the human error, as it i practicable to read the watch only to the nearest .01 min. Additionally, a small amount of time, but an important amount, is lost each time while the watch is being returned to its zero position. The method also involves a sizable statistical task at the completion of the timing, because the total time of each step must be obtained from the chart by adding a total of 50 to '75 listings in as many columns as the operation has steps. The accuracy of the statistical work must be verified. Thus it can fairly be said that the snap back technique is not satisfactory as a means of obtaining average times from which to determine standard times and is also in itself inefficient because of the statistical work that it requires.

The continuous reading time study technique was developed to overcome the inaccuracy considered to be inherent in the snap-back technique. The continuous method operates as follows. At the beginning of the first step in an operation, a stop watch is started which continues to run and is not snapped back to zero until the completion of all the various steps. As the steps proceed, the timer observes the time on the watch at the completion of each step and whatever time the watch shows is recorded on a chart providing a column for each of such steps. For example, if a first step in an operation requires .05 minute, the watch will show .05 minute and that time will be set down on the sheet. Proceeding to the second step, the time involved may be .07 minute, and the watch at that point will show a total of .12 minute. The time that will be recorded on the chart will be that refiected on the watch, namely, .12 minute. If a third step requires for example .06 minute, the reading on the watch will be .18 minute, and .18 minute will be the time recorded in the column for the third step; and so on throughout the entire operation. This technique improve the accuracy somewhat over studies taken by the snapback method. However, the clerical work involved is considerably more than is required for the snap-back method because it is necessary to perform a subtraction between successive columns and then add each resulting column to obtain the total time involved in each step from which an average can be calculated. It is often necessary to spend twice as much time calculating the result of a study conducted by the continuous reading technique as is spent in making the study itself. The continuous reading technique has in common with the snap-back technique the major disadvantage that the timer is unable to observe the operator a sufficiently large proportion of the time during the performance of the various steps.

It is therefore an object of this invention to overcome the disadvantages of prior techniques.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a device for timing operations involving sequential steps which will eliminate the need for con.-

tinal watch reading and the setting down of such readings.

It is a further object to produce a device as aforesaid which shall be free of cumulative error resulting from continual resetting of the timeindicating elements.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device as aforesaid which shall require a mini.- mum amount of visual attention of its operator.

Still another object of this invention 'is to provide a device as aforesaidwhich shall require in conjunction therewith a minimum amount of statistical work in obtaining the desired data.

Still another object is to provide a device as aforesaid which shall be capable at all times of automatically supplying time data respecting improperly performed steps, of an operation without interference with normal timing routine.

Afurther object is to provide apdevice as aforesaid which shall be simple to operate and economical to construct.

Other objects and purposes will become apparent as the description herein proceeds.

Before proceeding to describe the apparatus of this invention in detail, a general description and summary of its operation is given so that as the description proceeds, a better understanding of it will be had. The device of this invention employs a plurality of stopv watches, each of which is, assigned to an individual step in an overall operation. Associatedwith each watch is acounter mechanism which is operated to be advanced one digit each time its associated watch is set in operation. The watches and counters are mounted in a case and are, operated from the outside of the case through a pushebutton arrangement. Each watch is operated by its own separate push button. Thus, asv a first step in an operation is begun, a first button is pushed which operates the counter and starts, the watch. As the second step; in the operation begins, a second button is pushed which operates a second counter and starts a second watch. When,

however, the second button is pushed, by a suitable mechanical arrangement hereinafter to be described, the movement of the first watch is halted but its time indicating hands are not returned to zero. When a third step in the operation is commenced, a third button is pushed which operates a third counter and watch, as in the case ofthe second step, and which also halts the second watch. This series continues throughout as many steps as there are in an operation. However, the watches can be operated in. any desired sequence, depending upon the sequence in which the varioussteps of the operation are performed. At the end of a given time period, for example, 8 hours, each watch registers cumulative time which is the total time required in performing a particular step in the operation for however many times the entire operation has been clocked as indicated by the counters. In order to obtain the average time involved during the day in performing a given step, it is only necessary to divide the total time shown on the watch'that is assigned to that step by the indication on the counter that is associated therewith.

In conducting time studies it is frequently desirable to know the exact time being utilized in the performance of a single instant step such as would be the case where the timer observes a step being misperformed. For this purpose an additional watch is provided which is mounted on the outside of the case where it can be observed by the timer. This watch is hereinafter referred to as the visible watch. The visible watch operates at all times during the taking of the study and it is connected to the linkage system of the main device so that as each button is pushed, the hands of the visible watch are returned to zero and it begins automatically to time the step then also being timed on the cumulative watches. When a misperformed step occurs and is completed, the visible watch will show the total time involved and the timer will record it separately on a chart especially maintained for the purpose. He is thereby in a position to analyze the effect of misperformances on the entire operation and to segregate from the total time used in the performance of various steps during the day the time involved in misperformed steps, so that such time will not be reflected in the overall average unless it is desired that it be so reflected.

The visible watch has still another desirable function and that is the timing of a step which occurs only occasionally in the performance of an operation. When a step occurs that is not in the operation routine, such as halting the operation to obtain supplies, it is possible to place the visible watch in operation to time the interruption and at the same time halt the other specifically assigned watches. A suitable mechanism is provided for this purpose. Furthermore, the visible watch may be employed to act as an extra watch, if desired, so as to time additional steps in an operation to which no watch in the main series has been assigned. The time study of the additional steps is conducted then in a manner similar to the snap-back technique.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the device with cover plate removed;

Figure 2 is a sectional view on line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in elevation of the device showing location of push buttons;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view substantially on line 4-l of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail plan view of a pusher bar and toggle link mechanism of the device;

Figure 6 is a view in elevation of Figure 5; and

Figure 7 is a detail sectional view on line l'-l of Figure 1 illustrating a resetting and winding mechanism.

Referring now to the drawings, numeral l0 denotes the case which houses the mechanism. Push buttons are denoted by numeral H and a spring associated with each for returning them from their depressed position by numeral 12. Each push button has associated therewith a shaft denoted by numeral [3. Each shaft extends through a boss, denoted by numeral I4 and which is fixed on the outside of the case, and the wall of the case. Springs l2 bear upon the bosses and against the underside of the push buttons. Each shaft is connected at its end to means for actuating the counters and the watches. These means take two forms inorder to accommodate the positioning of the watches. In one instance it is possible to operate a'watch by a link which extends substantially in the longitudinal plane of the shaft, whereas in the other, it is necessary to transfer the motion of the push button through a linkage system to apoint removed from the plane of the shaft. The reason for this will be apparent from the drawings, that reason being that the watches cannot overlay each other. Both linkage systems will be described.

'The buttons that are seen 'in the top plan" view of Figure 1, with the exception of the centrally positioned button, are those which operate the watches in substantially a straight line of force application. shafts are threaded into an element which is inthe form of a flat metal strip denoted by numeral l5 and'hereinafter sometimes referred to as a push-bar.

The upper end of the push-bar is provided with a small flat plate denoted by numeral 16 suitably drilled to receive the shaft. As can be seen in Figure '2, the length of the plate is such as to allow the flat strip to be positioned to slide in guide bars designated by numeral I1. The lower end of the push-bar is widened to form another small plate denoted by numeral I8 which is upset perpendicularly to the flat plane of the push-bar; As can be seen in-both Figures 1 and 2 the plate I8 is suitably drilled to receive a lever denoted by numeral H! which connects the push-bar and the watch movement actuating lever, denoted by numeral 20, of the stop watches.

The drawings illustrate eight watches, fourof which are operated by a mechanism identical to that just described. The push-bars which operate the remaining 4 must be horizontally offset so as to accommodate proper positioning of the watches. Referring to Figure 5, the push button shaft I3 is threaded into a small L-shaped member denoted by numeral 2|. The downwardly extending leg of the L is threaded to receive a pivot pin denoted by numeral 22. A toggle linkage denoted by numeral 23 connects with the L-shaped member through the pivot pin 22 and to the pusher bar which it operates through a pivot pin denoted by numeral 24. The pusher bar utilized in this connection is identical to that previously described. There are four such mechanical arrangements, including the toggle linkage, all of which operate identically. It should be noted that as between the two sides of the apparatus as shown in Figure 1, that is the left side and the right side, it is necessary to position the toggle linkage so as to operate a pusher bar attached to its left end on the left side of the apparatus whereas the pusher bar is operated by the right end of the toggle linkage in the corresponding two watches on the right side. In the drawings, all of the watches are at rest and pushing of a button interconnected to a toggle linkage will cause the push-bar connected therewith to move- The push button am s;

in'a downward direction and actuate the watch movement lever.

'The mechanism now to be described interassociates all of the watches so that pushing of a succeeding button will release the preceding button and stop a watch previously in motion.

Each pushbar is provided with a cam surface denoted by numeral 25 which coacts with a corresponding cam surface denoted by numeral 26 carried on latch members designated by numeral 21. Each of the latch members is pivotally attached to the enclosing case as indicated at numeral 28.

surface, is pivotally attached to a relatively long flat strip, hereinafter sometimes referred to as a latch bar, denoted by numeral 29 by pins denoted by numeral 29. Pins 29 permit rotation of the latch relative to the latch bar. The latch 26' bar is supported horizontally by the latch members on pins 29' and movement in the direction effected by the caming surfaces is resisted by a tension spring denoted by numeral 30 and moored to the enclosing case. By this arrangement, when any of the buttons is pushed downwardly thus effecting downward movement of a push-bar, the latch bar is forced to the left and slightly downwardly sufficiently to allow the cam surface on the moving push-bar to pass so underneath the cam surface on the latch member, at which point the tension spring draws the latch bar to the right. The cam surface on the latch member then overlies the cam surface on the push-bar and so holds that push-bar in the parts that are subject to movement by the returns to its original position under the action of springs I 2 which, as heretofore described, bear upon the under surface of the push button.

Numeral 3| denotes counting devices, one being associated with each watch in a manner now to be described. As can best be seen in Figure 2, each counting mechanism is provided with an arm denoted by numeral 32 rigidly fixed on the counter actuating shaft 33. The opposite end of the arm is provided with a slot into which extends a stud carried by the push-bar, denoted by numeral 34. The stud is rigidly attached to the push-bar. Thus, each time when a push-bar is depressed, the counter mechanism is actuated to advance the number-count by one.

The watches and actuating mechanisms are so designed and connected that they require the movement actuating lever to be restrained against returning to watch movement inoperative position. As a result of the heretofore described latch arrangement, the watch actuating lever is held in the position which permits the watch to run so long as a push-bar is latched in depressed position.

The centrally located push button denoted by numeral 35 and shown in Figures 1 and 3 is for the dual purpose of operating the visible watch and for interconnecting and coordinating the other watch movements with the Visible watch. As can be seen from the drawings the mechanism is generally similar to that heretofore described The opposite end of the latch member, that is the end which carries the cam in that it includes a push button spring for re' turning the push button shaft which shaft is threaded into the button and into a short bar denoted by numeral 36. The lower end of the short bar passes through a guide channel denoted by numeral 31 which is anchored to the bottom of the case. Bar 36 carries a cam surface 38 which operates the latch bar as do the heretofore described cam surfaces. However, it should be noted that upper fiat surface of cam 38 does not cooperate with the cam surface denoted by numeral 39 on the latch bar to act as a latch, although cam surface 38 operates the latch bar to release any other watches that are latched at the time it is depressed.

Referring to the extreme left end of the latch bar, a fragmentary portion of which can be seen in Figure 4, there is provided in the latch bar a slot designated by numeral Ali into which extends a lever denoted by numeral 4|. LeverAl is pivoted upon a standard (said standard not appearing in Figure l) denoted by numeral 42 attached to the side of the case andit extends through a slot denoted by numeral :33 in the top side of the case. As can be seen in Figure 4, the visible watch is illustrated as resting on the top flat surface, 1. e., the top of the case, .and is securely anchored thereto by suitable means. The visible watch is denoted by numeral ill and is so positioned as to have its actuating stem (denoted by numeral 55) acted upon by the lever 41. Thus whenever the latch bar is moved to the left, whether it be by push button 35 or by any of the other push buttons, lever M will be caused to rotate upon its pivot and depress the stem of the visible watch. As heretofore indicated, operation of the stem of the visible watch merely returns the hands thereof to the zero position. Depression of the stem does not start or stop the watch as the visible watch runs continuously. Therefore, as a result of this arrangement the visible watch starts recording time at the be-, ginning of each step of the operation and continues timing that step until a succeeding step is undertaken (as a result of which the latch bar is actuated) at which time it is reset to begin timing another step.

The importance of the visible watch to the entire combination of watches becomes more apparent when it is realized that frequently steps in the operation are begun which do not proceed to completion in an orderly fashion and which steps therefore require specific consideration by the timer and with respect to which steps the timer must know the amount of time consumed because they are misperformed. The provision of the visible watch makes it possible for the timer todevote his entire time to observing the operators (as distinct from the watches) and in so doing, when he notes a step being misperformed, he may obtain the time consumed thereby from the vsible Watch which is recording the time of that particular step, as it does all steps that are undertaken.

Resetting and winding mechanism In order to simplify the operation of resetting and winding all the watches contained in the case, this invention provides for winding and resetting all of the watches from outside of the case. In doing this four of the watches are reset and wound by one mechanism and the other four :by an identical and separate mechanism. Referring to Figure l, the two buttons for this purpose are shown and denoted by numeral 46.

L an annular clutch member denoted by numeral Fixed within button 46 is a shaft denoted by numeral 41 which shaft extends through the side wall of the [case and is mounted for rotation and axially slidabie movement in bearing elements denoted by numeral 38 which are fixed to the bottom side of the case. A suitable clutch mechanism is provided and associated with each watch whereby motion from the shaft 47 is transmitted to the winding and setting stem of the Watches. This latter referred-to mechanism is illustrated in greater detail in Figure 7 of the drawings.

Referring to Figure 7 the clutch mechanism is shown as mountedon the shaft 4! and is composed of a collar denoted by numeral 49 held thereon by a set screw. A compression spring denoted by numeral 5i bears against the .flat face of the collar and a gear plate denotedbynumeral 51 which gear plate is free to rotate on the shaft. Fixed on the shaft by a set screw is 52, the large fiat face of which bears against the opposing face of the gear plate and the smaller nat face against bearing element 48. The cooperating faces of the clutch member and gear plate have their surfaces reamed at correspondmg points to form hemispherical concavities. which receive ball bearings denoted by numeral 53. Motion from the gear plate ii is trans-. mitted to the stem of the watch through a gear denoted by numeral 54 which meshes with gear 5|. The compression in the spring is sufficiently great to hold the gear plate in properly seated. position against the clutch face so long as a watch spring which it is causing to be wound has not become completely wound. However, when the spring of the watch can no longer be wound, the clutch face simply rides from its seated position on the ball bearings and the gear plate ceases to turn.

As can be seen from Figure 7, the clutch face overlies and bears upon the intermeshing gear 54 so that when the shaft isactuated horizontally to the left the stem of the watch is depressed whereby the watches are returned to their zero position.

It is to be understood that modifications may be made in the arrangement and character of parts described herein without departing from the scope of the invention hereinafter claimed. For example, it is contemplated that a single time movement mechanism may be employed to operate the series of time indicating means, instead of supplying each with its own movement. Such a master movement might be equipped with a master gear with which other gears, one for each time indicator, arranged to effect move-. ment thereof, could be caused to engage and disengage by a similar push-button and actuating mechanism. It is also contemplated that in some Operations the device will not require separate step counter for each step as in operationswhere all steps are performed an equal numberof times; one counter arranged to count the number of times a single step is completed would, supply the count for all steps.

It is to be understood that wherever the term" stop-watch is found in the specification and; claims, it is to be interpreted as inclusive of any form of elapsed time indicating or informing apparatus capable of functioning in the capacity of the well known stop-watch. The term clock utilized in some of the claims is synonymous with the term visible watch appearing in the? specification and is utilized, for purposes pt;

clarity in the claims in distinguishing the visiblewatch from the stop-watches. As to the term clock, it is to be understood that any form of timing apparatus capable of functioning in the described capacity of the clock or visible watch may be substituted therefor without departing from this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for making time studies of industrial operations involving a plurality of sequential steps to be studied which comprises a plurality of stop-watches for the steps of the operation to be studied, watch movement actuating means associated with each watch, means responsive to the actuation of any one of the said actuating means for stopping another watch movement operating at the time of actuation of the said actuating means while retaining on the said Watches an indication of cumulative time registered thereby in operation through at least one interval of time; a counting mechanism associated with at least one of the said movement actuating means so as to be advanced thereby; a continuously operating clock and means responsive to movement of the said movement actuating means for returning the time indicator of the said continuously operating clock to a position indicating zero time; and means separate from the last said means for returning the time indicator of the said continuously mow ing clock to a position indicating zero time and for simultaneously stopping the watches.

2. Apparatus for making time studies of industrial operations involving a plurality of sequential steps to be studied which comprises a plurality of stop-watches for the steps of the operation to be studied, watch movement actuating means associated with each watch, means responsive to the actuation of any one of the said actuating means for stopping another watch movement operating at the time of actuation of the said actuating means while retaining on the said watches an indication of the cumulative time registered thereby in operation through at least one interval of time; a continuously operating clock and means responsive to movement of the said watch movement actuating means for returning the time indicator of the said continuously operating clock to a position indicating zero time.

3. Apparatus for making time studies of industrial operations involving a plurality of sequential steps to be studied which comprises a plurality of stop-watches for the steps of the operation to be studied, watch movement actuating means associated with each watch, means responsive to the actuation of any one of the said actuating means for stopping another watch movement operating at the time of actuation of the said actuating means While retaining on the said watches an indication of the cumulative time registered thereby in operation through at least one interval of time; a counting mechanism associated with at least one of said movements actuating means so as to be advanced thereby; a continuously operating clock and means responsive to movement of the said watch movement actuating means for returning the time indicator of the said continuously operating clock to a position indicating zero time.

4. An apparatus as in claim 2 wherein separate and additional means are provided for returning the time indicator of the said continuously moving clock to zero time indication and for simultaneously stopping the watches.

5. Apparatus for making time studies of industrial operations involving a plurality of steps which comprises a plurality of stop Watches for the steps to be studied, separate means movable from a watch stopping to a watch starting position to control the operation of each watch from the position occupied at the termination of the preceding operation thereof, means responsive to the movement of each control means to watch starting position for displacing all of the other control means to Watch stopping position, and means also responsive to the movement of each control means to watch starting position to indicate the number of times the respective control means has been actuated whereby the factors involved in computing average time for each of a plurality of steps of an industrial operation are rendered automatically available; a continuously operating clock and means for returning the time indicator of the said continuously moving clock to zero time indication and for simultaneously stopping the watches.

RONALD WADE BOLING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,801,618 Spery -1 Apr. 21, 1931 1,813,777 Stack July 7, 1931 1,951,391 Borst Mar. 20, 1934 2,368,761 Hogan Feb. 6, 1945 2,398,015 Leathers Apr. 9, 1946 

